Reading stand



READING AND Original Filed April 19, 1963 NVENTOR Jan. 4, 19636 N. FISHER 3,227,415

READING STAND Original Filed April 19, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN NTOR United States Patent f" 3,227,415 1 READING STAND NathanFisher, 11892 Ohio Ave., Detroit 4, Mich. Original application Apr. 19, 1963, Ser. No. 274,159, now Patent No. 3,161,398, dated Dec. 15, 1964. Divided and this application Mar. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 355,144 4 Claims. (Cl. 248-451) This application is a division of application Ser. No. 274,159, filed Apr. 19, 1963, now Patent No. 3,161,398 granted Dec. 15, 1964.

This invention relates to book stands, in particular, adjustable bo'ok stands intended to support material in a convenient position for reading.

In book stands of the past, with a general emphasis'on compact folding and portability at the expense of other important advantages, insufficient utility existed to warrant or gain their general acceptance. Visual adjustment was generally awkward and page control unsatisfactory materials;

Effective control of book and page movement; High degree of reliability and durability; Attractiveness to creat interest and desire to use.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved r'e'adihg stand for pleasure reading and profit-able study.

It is -a further object toprovide for relaxed viewing and manual freedom.

Another object is to help reduce reading fatigue and distraction. i i

To correct a glare condition which a glossy read'ing surface often presents, a slight angular position change is sometimes necessary. Therefore; it is a further object -of this invention to provide angular positioning permitting a fine degree of adjustment for maximum visual oomfort, and to provide an adjustable hinging arrangement that is free of props, rato'hets, thumb'screws, or other distract'in'g gadgets, therebyallowing asirhple one hand operation. i

It is another object to provide a hinge bracket that is non-obtrusive, self-supporting and integrally adjustable as required for differences in book weight.

Many books, particularly when-new, have hard stiff bindings that causes distracting effort to keep the book open. Attempts to correct this fault sometimes results in a cracked or broken binding as witnessed by binde'ries' in public library systems.

It is therefore a further object of this invention to provide for effective control of page movement.

It is also an object to provide a page holding device that is non-obscuring, will hold pages of a book neatly in place, and permits sensitive control of pressure for easy leafing.

Another object is to provide for relaxed reading in many environments.

Another object is to provide a reading stand that is neat and pleasing in appearance.

And, finally, in summation, it is an object to provide a bookstand that will help make reading as relaxed, simple, and absorbing as watching television.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description 3,227,415 Patented Jan. 4, 1966 and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a rear elevation view of a reading stand embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary .plan view of the reading stand.

FIG. 3 isa side view of the reading stand.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 44 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view on an enlarged scale showing a top view of the pagecontrol.

FIG. 7 is a side elevation view of the page control shown in FIG. 6. V

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 in FIG. 6. 7

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a snap spring utilized in the page control shown in FIGS. 6-8.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the hinge bracket.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the hinge pin and book-supporting platform, to be referred to as the pintle-platform. v

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing stationary page control.

FIGS. 13 and 14 are fragmentary perspective showing alternate structures of the pintle-p'latform structure.

For clarity of understanding, the following description of this invention may be considered as having three principal divisions, the hinging arrangement, the superstructure, and the page control.

In FIG. 11 is shown the hinge pin-platform structure comprising a book-supporting platform 12 to be mounted on hinge pin 20, the latter being rotatably mounted, as in FIGS. 1, 3, and 5, to a pair of hinge brackets 24 which, in turn, are fastened along an edge to the base Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the superstructure, which is mounted-on platform 12, chmprises ba'ck plates 16 tied by cross braces 17 and 18, a'ndbracing blocks 19. Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the page control 14 is shownfastened to platform 12.

The hinge pin 20 comprises a length of structural mate- :rial 21, full half round in cross section, on each end of which is mounted a short length of identical cross section 22 to form the cylindrical pintles. The supporting platform 12, of flat structural material, shaped in general as shown in FIG. 2 to form a book-supporting platform, is notched out to clear the pintles and adhesively mounted to hinge pin support surface 23. An alternate construction of the pintle-platform with integrally formed pintles, is shown in 'FIG. 13, and another construction in FIG. 14.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 10, each hinge bracket 24 is formed of a single strip of sheet metal, with an intermediate struck out slitted portion. The strip is cylindrically arched and formed with an internal surface 28 to contain a pintle, and is end flanged at 27, the flange being parallel to and a 'short distance from a sloping leg 25. The struck out portion 25a and leg 25 are flanged and fixed to base 11 by screws 26. A sheet metal adjusting screw 29, shouldering over an opening in leg 25, threads into flange 27 to adjust rotational friction on the pintles.

The ample pintle bearing surface co-operating with the adjustable friction hinge brackets thus provides easy, smooth positioning with a durable pre-set holding torque.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the superstructure comprises a pair of rectangular flat plates 16 angularly positioned at approximately degrees by the prebent cross braces 17 and 18. Bracing blocks 19, circularly notched to clear bracket assembly 13, ,are adhesively secured to plates 16 and abut brace 18. The above angular superstructure is centrally mounted on hinge plate 12 between the brackets, rigidly secured with modern high strength adhesives. The angular arrangement insures a more stationary nesting position with protection against excess strain or cracking of the book binding. A pair of swivel extension arms, fastened to plates 16, provide extra support for large flexible reading material.

Each page control 14 comprises a hook-shaped wire arm, capped at one end 31 with plastic or other frictional material, and a hard-surface spherical ball 32, frictionally enclosed by a bracket-supported spring housing 33, at the other end. Referring to FIGS. 6, 7 and 12, the housing 33, a thin properly heat treated spring steel strip, is slotted at 34 to produce parallel bands 35, bent and formed to the ball contour. A leg 36a is angularly prebent from one end of the curved housing portion and is parallel to a leg 36 extending from the :other end, the legs being accurately located relative to a rivet 37, which passes through a supporting bracket 38 between the legs and secures the legs thereto. The metal housing bracket 38 is twisted 90 degrees for upright housing support and pierced for rivet 37, and a rivet 40 which secures it to hinge plate 12. On force riveting housing 33 to bracket 38, the housing is forced into tension, compression loading the ball, and at the same time creating a spring flexed lateral displacement force in the bands 35. This induced spring load is the predominant factor in effecting a superior constant torque swivel, smooth acting, wear compensating, and durable.

Referring to FIG. 12, showing the basic embodiment of the page control, the shoulders 46, formed by the twist, rigidly lock the trimmed ends 45 of the housing preventing pivotal movement about rivet 37. A convenient downswing feature is indicated in FIGS. 6 and 7, desirable when handling extra wide magazines, etc., or in rapid leafing where a page control is unnecessary or distracting. To provide a firm repositioning swivel movement with the pivot about rivet 37, a thin metal snap spring, FIG. 9, is incorporated. This comprises a tempered spring 41, pierced for rivet 37, embossed with V-impression 43 to engage with mating projection 44 in leg 36 of the housing, and ear flanged at 42 to locate =on bracket 38 as shown in FIG. 8. In this snap spring embodiment of the housing, the ends of the legs 36 and 3611 are shortened and rounded off to clear shoulders 46. Pressure on the ball flexes the snap spring out of engagement.

Formerly, page holding was generally by application of a flat spring pressure clamp, limited in positioning on the page while applying such excess pressure as to hinder simple leafing without risk of tearing. The wide ranging non-obscuring arm of this device, set to an ample potential torque, will keep a book open with pages squarely in place with any minimum pressure necessary, thus permitting safe, easy leafing without obstruction or distraction.

This book stand, in plastic material, can be essentially molded, or adhesively assembled by components. A substantially equivalent embodiment of this book stand can be produced in light attractive metal, properly flanged and ribbed for rigidity. Although many synthetic materials could reliably be used, to achieve an appealing aesthetic warmth, contributing to relaxed reading pleasure, this book stand is best constructed in wood, particularly hardwood plywood, abundant in variety and beauty.

This invention can conveniently embody a battery integrated illumination system to further enhance its utility and environment range.

Although I have described this invention with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention as hereinatfer claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a page control mechanism for a reading stand of the type having a book-supporting platform, a bracket secured to an end of said platform and extending outwardly therefrom, a hook-shaped wire arm having a spherical member secured to the lower end thereof, a spring housing for said spherical member comprising a strip of springlike material having a main longitudinally slitted arcuate portion partially surrounding said spherical member, the bands which form said arcuate portion along side said slit being bent and formed to the ball contour, a pair of legs at the opposite ends of said arcuate portion extending along opposite sides of said bracket, and a fastener extending through said legs and bracket and securing the legs to the bracket, the length of said spring housing being such that securing of said fastener will create a substantial frictional force between said spring housing and said spherical member.

2. The combination according to claim 1, said legs being pivotable about said fastener with respect to said bracket, a snap spring disposed between said bracket and one of said legs, and means for holding said snap spring against movement with respect to said bracket, said snap spring and one of said legs having coacting detent means for retaining the spring housing in one position.

3. In a page control mechanism for use in conjunction with a reading stand, a hook-shaped wire arm, a spherical member fixed to one end of said arm, a socket-like member supporting said spherical member for frictionally retarded rotation about any axis, and a frictional cap at the other end of said arm engageable with a book page.

4. In a page control mechanism for use in conjunction with a reading stand, a ball-swivel construction having a spherical member, a spring housing for said spherical member comprising a strip of spring-like material having a main longitudinally slitted arcuate portion, said slit forming two bands on opposite sides thereof which are bent and formed to the ball contour, a pair of parallel legs at the opposite ends of said arcuate portion, said bands being continuously engageable with said ball along their entire extent, a relatively stationary member between said legs, and means securing said legs to said stationary member, the shape of said spring housing being such that substantial frictional contact between said spring housing and spherical member and lateral displacement forces on said bands will be created in response to fastening of said legs to said stationary member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 241,122 5/1881 Crandall 24840 1,579,907 4/ 1926 Zink 248288 1,875,785 9/1932 Waples 248453 2,353,476 7/1944 Kiper 28789 2,570,439 10/1951 Forcq 248452 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. C. A. NUNBERG, Assistant Examiner, 

1. IN A PAGE CONTROL MECHANISM FOR A READING STAND OF THE TYPE HAVING A BOOK-SUPPORTING PLATFORM, A BRACKET SECURED TO AN END OF SAID PLATFORM AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, A HOOK-SHAPED WIRE ARM HAVING A SPHERICAL MEMBER SECURED TO THE LOWER END THEREOF, A SPRING HOUSING FOR SAID SPHERICAL MEMBER COMPRISING A STRIP OF SPRINGLIKE MATERIAL HAVING A MAIN LONGITUDINALLY SLITTED ARCUATE PORTION PARTIALLY SURROUNDING SAID SPHERICAL MEMBER, THE BANDS WHICH FORM SAID ARCUATE PORTION ALONG SIDE SAID SLIT BEING BENT AND FORMED TO THE BALL CONTOUR, A PAIR OF LEGS AT THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID ARCUATE PORTION EXTENDING ALONG OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID BRACKET, AND A FASTENER EXTENDING THROUGH SAID LEGS AND BRACKET AND SECURING THE LEGS TO THE BRACKET, THE LENGTH OF SAID SPRING HOUSING BEING SUCH THAT SECURING OF SAID FASTENER WILL CREATE A SUBSTANTIAL FRICTIONAL FORCE BETWEEN SAID SPRING HOUSING AND SAID SPHERICAL MEMBER. 